Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and improved gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play through enhanced entertainment value to the player.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome in the basic game. Generally, bonus games provide a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and may also be accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio. Bonus games may additionally award players with “progressive jackpot” awards that are funded, at least in part, by a percentage of coin-in from the gaming machine or a plurality of participating gaming machines. Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop gaming systems with new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators.
Traditionally, wagering games have employed relatively smaller numbers of bonus or supplemental features. Moreover, with activation of multiple bonus features, one problem that arises is that because of limited payback percentages provided my gaming machines, the frequency and size of bonus awards dispensed with such features is reduced. Another problem arises in that a player's perception of risk versus reward causes there to be a disincentive to the player to activate multiple features. This occurs because of the perception that each additional feature involves additional cost to the player, but the benefit is not perceived to be commensurate with such cost. In other words, activating larger number of features does not always result in the player receiving and participating in a proportionately increased number of bonus awards and features. Yet another problem arises in that additional costs of activating such bonus features are not always offset by increased payback percentages or expected values of awards paid out therefrom. The present invention is directed to solving these and other problems.